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In Partnership with DWP

The Government provides certain benefits for people who are out of work due to long-term illness or as a result of a disability or health condition. The Government has decided that the best way to assess eligibility is through an independent health assessment under the Health Assessment Advisory Service.

Centre for Health and Disability Assessments provides the service on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). The contract between DWP and Centre for Health and Disability Assessments started 1 March 2015.

Healthcare Professionals from Centre for Health and Disability Assessments conduct one-to-one assessments with individuals seeking disability benefits and delivers a report to DWP. DWP then uses this information to determine a person’s benefit entitlement.

All of our Healthcare Professionals have at least two years post-qualification experience, are registered with their respective Medical Body and are approved by the DWP Chief Medical Adviser.

DWP requires stringent quality assurance to be in place and manages contractual obligations through a range of service level agreements and regular review meetings.

Centre for Health and Disability Assessments is responsible for:

Recruiting and training healthcare professionals
Checking medical evidence provided by a customer before asking for an assessment
Requesting further medical evidence from GPs or other treating clinicians where the information is likely to enable us to provide advice to the DWP that may avoid a face-to-face assessment
Booking appointments for face-to-face assessments
Carrying out face-to-face assessments
Providing DWP with a report following an assessment. This may be after an initial review of an individual’s questionnaire supported by further medical evidence, or may be following a face-to-face assessment

DWP is responsible for:

Designing and developing the format and criteria for assessments
Reviewing all evidence presented by an individual, including but not limited to the assessment report, and making a decision on an individual’s entitlement to benefit
Setting delivery targets and metrics for the Health Assessment Advisory Service’s quality and service
Monitoring service delivery against contractual requirements
Authorising assessment protocols used in clinical applications

HM Government is responsible for:

Welfare Reform and other benefit-related policies
Legislation that sets out criteria to be used in assessments